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The present building dates from about 1130, but there is mention in the Domesday book of a priest called Brun, who lived at Cadwell in 1087 and preached at Chalgrove, and had done so since before the Norman Conquest. The building was begun by the Benedictine monks, from the Abbey of Bec in Normandy. They served the area from 1130 to 1210. Theirs was a much smaller church and little remains today, except for the South arcade with its square topped Norman pillars. In the 13th century the church was enlarged as shown by the capitals in the North arcade which are round and early English. About 1330 the chancel was enlarged under the patronage of the Barantyne family, who commissioned the superb wall paintings and are commemorated by several fine brasses. During the 15th century the North aisle was mainly rebuilt although medieval wall paintings were found to the north of the east window of St James's Chapel. The church registers date from 1538, are nearly complete and can now be inspected at the Oxfordshire Archive Centre. St Mary's once had a spire, but this was destroyed in a storm in 1727 and was replaced by the battlement tower which houses six bells. The oldest bell is the Ting-Tang, bearing the date 1659. A booklet describing the church's history and a guide to the wall paintings are availble in the church. Website details for St. Mary's Parish Church, click here:- |
